Home
by CSDeckerstarx
Summary: Rick has been taken somewhere and his family think he is dead. Watch him do anything to escape and find his family once again, even after 6 years. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

He needed to go home. He needed to see his family. That was the only thought racing through Rick's mind as he felt his stomach curl as the helicopter made a quick descent. He was floating in and out of consciousness and what was happening came in brief flashes. He sees strangers looking down at him, as they rush him inside. He smells anti-septic products as all he takes in is bright white light, the combination reminding him of a hospital which seemed impossible. There were no more hospitals functioning, there haven't since everything went to shit.

His eyes grow heavy and he is once again surrounded in darkness, hearing a distant familiar voice before he falls unconscious "He's a B, please save him."

When he wakes, the first thing he notices is a dull pain in his side. It's the same pain he experience after he had his appendix out years ago, it was a post-surgical pain. Wherever the hell he was, they had surgeons and they had saved his life. He looked down at his now bandaged side and frowned, not being able to comprehend what has happened. He had died, he had thought he would die after that explosion but now he was here, recovering.

"Hey." A voice sounds from next to him; he turns his head slowly, feeling groggy from the drugs that were being pumped through him. He makes out that it is Jadis or Anne as she is called now. His throat is dry and he can't find the energy to speak, all he can do is look at her questioningly.

"It's okay, just heal Rick, they fixed you up, you should be up on your feet in the next week, I can tell you what's going on but for now, you need to rest." She whispers and he feels himself being dragged under once again.

As promised, he was up and about within the week and Anne told him what had happened. How she had found him washed up on the river bank after the explosion and had made a deal with these people to save him. These people who she works for apparently. Anne says she is a collector, she brings them people that they need for something, something to secure the future and that's all she knows.

"Well as grateful as I am, imma need a helicopter ride back home, now that I'm feelin' better." He announces to Anne. A frown and aversion of his eyes is all he gets from her. He's about to ask her what is wrong when he is interrupted.

"Rick?" A vague familiar voice comes from behind him and as he turns he comes faced with someone he thought long dead.

"Heath?" He questions surprisingly, taking in the man before him. Heath smiles and moves to greet Rick with a strong unexpected hug. He is confused but returns the embrace before Heath pulls back with a sigh.

"Sorry, it's just been a long time and you are the first familiar friendly face I've seen since I got here."

"What?" Rick asks "you've been gone for over 18 months. Why didn't you come back?"

Heath looks past Rick to Anne for a moment before shaking his head. "You don't know do you?" He grabs Rick's arm and moves him to a more secluded spot away from the dozens of people who all look lost in canteen like room. "Rick, I was taken and I want to leave, I have tried to leave but they won't let me, no one is allowed to leave." Heath informs him and Rick feels a mixture of dread and anger swell within him. He wasn't going to allow that, he needed to get home to Michonne, his daughter, his brother, his family no matter what it takes. He turns toward Anne who had quietly followed them.

"Did you know this?" He asks angrily and she tenses in defence.

"Yes, but it was the only way to save your life. I had to, you are my friend." She states and Rick sighs nodding his head before looking between Anne and Heath.

"We need to come up with a plan to get out of here."

Before he can say anything else a large noise startles the 3 of them as the metal doors swing open, 4 large guards come rushing through, escorting an older man in a white lab coat who was pointing directly at Rick. "Him, his blood work came back, he is an A. Take him to station 1."

Anne and Heath's panicked faces give him enough warning to engage a defensive mode and he manages to throw an right hook to one of the guards, knocking him to the ground before he is swarmed by the others, tackling him, catching him in a head lock as he is dragged away. He is dragged through numerous corridors and he fights each movement, slowing the guards down before he is knocked over the head.

He comes around with a groan, his head throbbing and as he tries to lift his hand to his head, he finds he can't due to the restraints on his wrists and feet. He feels a pressure in his left arm and looks to see 2 empty tubes connected to his veins. He follows the tubes with his eyes and meets a machine with another 2 tubes leading to the bed next to him, not yet connected. His attention is brought to a young woman who is escorted in and to the bed, lying down without complaint.

"Miss?" Rick tries to get her attention but fails and she stares lifelessly at her hands. "Miss! Are you okay?" Rick asks louder with concern at her extremely pale complexion and hollow eyes. She looks to him slowly, her eyes filled with sadness and hopelessness. The moment is interrupted by the guy with the lab coat from before.

"Okay, Rick is it?" He asks and Rick stays silent, watching his surroundings carefully, watching another lab coat guy insert the other tube into the sickly looking girl who doesn't even flinch.

"Hmm, not a talkative one are you?" The main lab coat asks, laughing slightly. Rick cocks his head, glaring at him.

"And who the hell are you?" Rick snarls and the man raises an eyebrow.

"I will tell you who I am, only if this works, otherwise there is no point in a dead man knowing my name." He says calmly before nodding to his assistant who turns on the machine that connects Rick and this woman together. Suddenly his blood is drawn from his body into the machine via one tube as blood from the woman beside him he guesses, goes into his veins. He feels an uncomfortable burning sensation and starts to feel drowsy.

The next thing he knows, he is being unplugged and a walker's head is being brought into the room. It snarls and snaps its teeth together, and suddenly guards are holding him and his arm out towards the walker's mouth. He tries to resist but he feels the sharp painful teeth sink into his skin, ripping through it as he gasps in pain. A knife makes its way through the walker's head and its hold on Rick's arm is gone. Rick feels a blind sense of fear, he was bit, he was going to die and it was going to be a horrible death. Thoughts of a pale feverish and weak Carl fills his mind and tears spring to his eyes. He was going to die. He thought he had accepted it when he blew up the bridge. He had accepted it, he had found his family and he had saved him, he was at peace with that. Yet, this was bad, he was going to die so far away from his loved ones, in a strange place with a fever that will burn through his very skin and wait painfully as each organ shut down. So he waited. Waited for the pain, for the fever and maybe the hallucinations but they didn't come. 12 hours past, then 24 hours, 36, 48 and after 72 hours he felt fine. Completely fine. He didn't die.

"Ah, another success, perfect. Well Rick, I did promise, I am Dr. Carlton and we are going to be seeing a lot of each other from now on." He smiles brightly yet Rick feels dread fill him. "Shave him and mark him." He tells one of his assistants who obliged and shaves his head to a buzz cut as well as beard. They hold him down as they tattoo the letter 'A' on the back of his neck.

For the next 4 years, it was a repeat of that day. He would get a blood transfusion and then bit and he still survived. The young woman who kept giving him her blood had told him her name was Ellie. She didn't speak too much, she was always drained but when she did, she talked to him about her old life before this and he shared the same curtsey. He told her about Michonne and his daughter Judith, how much he missed them and the rest of his family and how he couldn't wait to see them again. Ellie was always shocked when he said this; shocked that he was still hopeful that he could escape. There have been moments when he nearly lost it, he had tried numerous times to escape, had killed guards with his bare hands and made it to a certain point until he got caught and punished for his attempt. In those times, he hears her voice, telling him once again why she loves him, because he is a fighter and he knew he had to keep fighting.

It is on one of his lonely nights in his cell where he would stare at the four walls and let his anger simmer, yet his love for his family would wash it away and keep him going, though he has no idea how to get out of this hell. He hears his name in a whisper through his door. He gets up and approaches it, whispering back a questioning hello.

"Rick, it's Anne, I don't have much time but know Heath and I haven't been idle these past 4 years. We have a plan, a rebellion of sorts, it's coming together but we still need a key person to help us, one of the scientists, we need to suss out if any of them will be willing to help." She pauses for a moment. "Rick I am sorry but I have to go now, just hold out hope a little longer, we will get out of here and get you back to your family." Anne finishes and Rick feels a new wave of hope fill his chest and he smiles to himself as he hears her retreating footsteps, he just had to hold out. It would be hard, to just wait, but it was his only chance to get home. He had to just have faith.

That was easier said than done, Rick thinks to himself as another 2 years pass him by, where the experiments on him get more extreme. They increased the amount of walker bites, trying to see how much the blood flowing through him could hold off a large amount of the virus. It left the skin on both his arms marked with scars of each bite. Some were barely visible, others were pink and some were still scabbing over. He didn't know the science of it all; all he had learnt was from what he had overheard. That the combination of his blood type and DNA with Ellie's blood type and DNA, which was extremely rare, caused an immunity to the virus that had destroyed the old world.

Even through this torture, he held out hope, but he was not being idle either. Anne had said they needed a scientist on their side so he had been observing if any of them showed guilt, remorse or even sympathy but none had so far. That was until 6 months ago when a new young scientist was brought in to do tests on Ellie and Rick. He was a young guy, similar age to Ellie and he was kind to both of them. He noticed as the months went by that Ellie spoke a lot to this guy, learnt his name was Dean and he was actually a decent human being. He began to see an increase of guilt and sadness in Dean's expression as the months go by and today solidified the fact that Dean was their guy. He knew this because Dean was looking at Ellie with a look that he knew. It was the look he gave to his Michonne. He passes the message to Anne on one of her silent visits to his cell. He tells her Dean is their guy and she tells him she will confront him.

It seemed like another normal day of torture, him and Ellie in the lab, getting ready for another transfusion, with Dr. Carlton reading some charts before glancing at Rick. "Well, it seems your hair needs another cut Rick, and the beard. We have to keep you sterile after all." He laughs, moving towards the razor on the desk until Dean came running in; announcing to the guards that a massive riot had broke out. The guards went quickly to the scene and when the room was empty; Dean pulls out a gun and throws it at Rick who catches it. Dr Carlton shocked, turns to Rick with wide eyes.

"What are you doing?" He shouts indignantly, fear showing in his expression. Rick cocks his head to the side as he aims the gun at his torturers head.

"I would tell you, but there's no point telling a dead man my plans right?" Rick drawls and Dr Carlton's eyebrows rise as the familiar words sink in. Rick pulls the trigger and Dr Carlton falls to the ground in a crumbled heap.

"Let's go, we don't have much time, that rebellion is going to get pretty explosive soon if you catch my drift." Dean announces, smiling at Ellie who smiles widely back. He puts his arm round her waist, gun in the other, and escorts them both down winding corridors. Rick has his gun aimed in front of him as he turns a corner to come faced with 2 guards. He lets off two shots, one each in the head as the 3 make their way through the establishment with Dean shouting directions.

He nearly runs straight into Heath before he catches himself.

"Hey Rick, good to see you." Heath smiles and Rick nods, as they exit the building, followed by Anne closely behind and a dozen other people just making it out of range when the ground shakes and an explosion rips through the air, sending Rick and company crashing to the ground. He looks up at the damage, the whole building was destroyed and Rick felt glee at the fact.

He hears shouting from the guards, who begin shooting at him and the others. Rick, Heath and Dean manage to kill them before running towards the 3 helicopters at the entrance.

"The other guards were in the building so we shouldn't have any more trouble." Dean shouts as the come into the clear of the helipads. "Alex, you take 4 others on chopper 1, Emily you take the rest on chopper 2. Go now!"

The others nod and run onto the helicopters, some injured and bleeding but seemingly safe which Rick was grateful for, these people helped him escape after all. He looks to Dean who is helping Ellie up into the last remaining chopper.

"Dean, tell me you know how to fly one of these." Rick asks, almost dreading the answer being no. Dean turns to him, a manic smile on his face. "Of course. Now get on."

Rick doesn't have to be told twice. Him, Anne and Heath join Ellie in the helicopter as Dean starts up the engine. Soon enough they are flying away from the place he had been tortured, experimented on and imprisoned in for the last 6 years. Rick leans his head against the window, his eyes closing after a while. "I'm coming home." He mumbles.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rick. Rick wake up."

He startles as a hand shakes his shoulder roughly, his vision blurry as he wipes the sleep out of his eyes. He hadn't even realized they hand landed. Heath gestured for him to get out the chopper and they both jumped down onto solid ground. Rick observes his surroundings, finding a medium building with cars parked outside, and 2 other helicopters on their helipad. The others who escaped must have come here too, Rick thought to himself as Dean, Ellie Anne and Heath all made to move inside the building.

"We are in Phoenix; this facility here is a station of sorts, just were those who captured you would pit stop and keep the transport." Dean explained on their way to the building.

"Should we expect company?" Rick asks, fiddling with his gun that was tucked in the side of his sweatpants.

"No, only the sympathizers, the ones who agreed to do this the right way. So don't worry, you won't need that." Dean gazes at Rick's restless hand on his gun. Rick nods as they make their way through the building and into a giant room, filled with guns, ammo, med supplies, food, drink and keys to the cars outback. The others who had helped him escape the base were all sat around in the area and greeted them with smiles and nods of acknowledgement. Some were unfamiliar and he recognized these must be the sympathizers that Dean had talked about.

They all sat as they were attended to with food, water and to sort out any injuries. Dean came over to Rick after he had attended to Ellie, and patched up the fresh bites on his arms, stitching them so they wouldn't scar as badly as some of the others had.

"So Rick, because you have been on the blood transfusion every week for the past 6 years, now that you are not going to be on it anymore, it's highly likely you might have some… withdrawal effects." Dean says sheepishly and Rick sighs. This was great, just what he needed.

"What're the effects?" Rick asks.

"Symptoms will most likely be a fever, so sweating, the shakes and you also might be a bit disoriented at times, feeling dizzy and there could be an odd fainting spell. Vomiting and extreme headaches are less likely but still possible I guess. On the bright side, you won't die." Dean supplies with a shrug.

"Yeah, lucky fucking me." Rick groans. "How long will that last?"

Dean bites his lip, frowning slightly. "My guess is for a couple of weeks? Maybe a month until you are completely in the clear."

Rick nods his head in acceptance; he was willing to take that in order to get away from being a lab rat and having his family again. Rick watched Dean as he stitched the last remaining bites with concentration.

"Dean?" Rick asks. Dean hums in acknowledgement that he is listening. "Did we just destroy the only chance of findin' a cure to this thing?"

Dean chuckles slightly before shaking his head. "I urm, I kind of hacked into the system an hour before the riot and stole all the data onto a disk drive. I know these scientists in a low key facility up in Boise, they weren't as far ahead and there aren't that many of them, but they do it the right way, the humane way, so with this data maybe there is a chance."

"And what about us" indicating to himself and Ellie who approached the two of them with Heath and Anne following behind. "Do we get dragged along to that too? Because i gotta tell you, I'm not letting that happen."

"No of course not, it is totally your choice. That's what it's going to be from now on Rick, a choice." Dean says with strong conviction. Rick feels the tension in his body loosen at Dean's words before looking to Ellie.

"What're you gonna do?" Rick asks.

"I'm going to the facility in Boise." Ellie states without a second thought and Rick looks at her in surprise. Ellie chuckles. "I know you must think I'm mad, I get it, hell maybe I am. The thing is, once I knew I could help find a cure for this, I wanted to help. I just somehow became an object in their eyes and not a human being. Yet this place is going to be different, and I can help." She says determinedly.

"And so can i." Anne joins in, standing facing their small group. "I will still be a collector, I know what to look for, but I will give them a choice. They can volunteer or they can leave. Always their choice from now on."

"What about you Rick? It's your choice." Dean questions, though already knowing the answer and Rick chuckles slightly.

"I think I'll have to pass. You've got my data for over 6 years; I think I've given enough. I'm going home to my family."

Dean nods in understanding and gives him a genuine smile. Rick smiles back before turning a questioning gaze to Heath, who had not said anything.

"Yeah, I'm with Rick, I want to go back where I was from, back to my friends." Heath says.

The group finish getting stitched up and fed before Dean gives Rick and Heath holsters with some guns ammo and knifes attached. He also supplies them with 2 backpacks full of enough food and water and medication to last a week. The last things he gives are a key to one of the cars out front and a map which has all gas stations marked along the route to Washington DC, to Alexandria. Anne Dean and Ellie all come outside to say goodbye to himself and Heath, who are ready to go.

"I'm sorry we didn't have any spare clothes and you two still have to walk around in those." Dean speaks up, gesturing to Rick and Heath's grey sweatpants and plain white t-shirts with their patient number on it.

"We'll find somethin' on the road." Rick dismisses before pausing. "Just one more question, if I get bit, what happens?"

Dean's brows furrow and he shrugs. "I honestly don't know. Without the constant blood transfusion there is no way to tell if your blood has adapted and become immune. So just try not to get bit anyway."

Rick laughs "Yeah, I'll do my best." He looks at the watch he had found in the building and taken, indicating it was time they made a move if they wanted to use as much daylight as they could.

"It's a 35 hour drive barring any complications, we should probably get going." Rick says to everyone and they nod. Anne gives him a small wave goodbye which he returns.

He shakes Dean's hand and grasps it tightly, hoping Dean understood his appreciation.

Ellie came running up to Rick and enclosed him in a hug. He hugged her back and smiled. Ellie was technically his only friend for the past 6 years who he saw every day and even though he was beyond relieved they had gotten free, he was going to miss talking to her.

"Thank you, Rick." Ellie whispered before moving back from the hug, looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"For what?"

"Thank you for your stories. For how much you love your family, how much you love Michonne and Judith, how inspired you were by them to keep fighting, to keep having hope. Rick, hearing that gave me hope, so thank you, and goodbye." Ellie said as she took Dean's hand in hers and their small group waved as Rick and Heath drove away.

The drive was filled with comfortable silence, both he and Heath too overwhelmed that they were finally out of that hell and they had their freedom back. When they make a break at one of the gas stations provided on the map, they found a stocked clothes store right next to it. They cleared out the few walkers inside with their knives and took the clothes to the restroom to get changed.

Rick stripped out of the clothes until he was clad in underwear, looking into the bathroom mirror at his appearance. He hadn't really lost any body mass since they had fed him and made him exercise to keep up his strength after every transfusion. The differences came in the marks and scars on his arms, the shape of teeth covering over another mark and so on. He knew they would go eventually fade so they were less visible but they were always going to be there as a reminder.

His eyes move to his face and he is surprised to see he almost looks like he once did, just with a tiny bit more grey in his hair and beard. His hair had slightly begun to curl again with its length and it brings back memories of Michonne tangling her fingers through his locks. She always said how much she loved his curls. He smiled to himself before putting on the jeans. He starts to put the shirt, but the sight of part of a letter on the back of his neck in the mirror made him freeze. He had almost forgotten they had branded him. They had held him down and changed all he was to a number on a shirt and a letter on the back of his neck. It was just another reminder that would stay with him the rest of his life.

He sighed and continued putting the shirt on. Normally he would have the sleeves rolled up to his elbow but the sight of his scars was making him feel a bit sick, plus he didn't want to scare anyone, to make people think he was diseased. So instead he made sure the sleeves were down and covering his arms. The new clothes gave him a small part of his identity back but he knew he wouldn't fully be back to himself until he was home with his family, because that's just who Rick Grimes _was_.

He finished by wrapping the holster Dean had given him around his hips, placing his weapons in the holders and walked out the restroom and to the car where Heath was waiting in his own new clothes.

Heath took over driving for a while as Rick slept uncomfortably against the car window. His dreams and nightmares collided, both his family and his torturers were there but all of a sudden he was jolted awake followed by Heath cursing angrily.

"What is it?" Rick grumbled, feeling slightly dazed after the abrupt awakening.

"The engine is toast." Heath hits the steering wheel in frustration as Rick looks at the map then outside.

"Well, it looks like we are 16 miles out from Alexandria, that's about a 6 hour walk." Rick states, looking at the sun beginning to rise. "It's dawn so we have daylight on our side through this. C'mon." Rick gestures and he and Heath collect their backpacks and head in the direction of home.

As they walk, Rick's mind wonders into a place of serious doubt and negativity, especially as he was beginning to feel weak and slightly feverish. What if when he got to Alexandria, it was destroyed, over run by walkers? What if his family had moved on somewhere else? What if even more of them had died? He felt his eyes begin to fill with tears but shook himself out of it. He had held out hope for 6 years, he could do it for a few more hours at least.

It was around 3 hours into their trek that Rick and Heath had to divert from the road due to a dozen walkers, so they headed to the surrounding trees instead. After a while they came across something that left them shocked. They crouched down in the shrubbery as they observed a herd of walkers in a clearing moving around in a circle, almost like it was orchestrated.

"Did you ever see anythin' like this on your runs?" Rick whispers to Heath who shakes his head, looking disbelievingly at the heard. In that moment Rick thought his ears were deceiving him but he could swear words were coming from that heard. He moved closer to see if his hearing was correct when a few of the walker's heads turn in his general direction. Just as they start to move closer to him and Heath, a hand covers his mouth and drags him down into a mud puddle a few feet from where he was. He starts to struggle and fight back when a woman with wild hair came into his line of vision, shushing him with a terrified expression. He stopped fighting and she covered his face and clothes in mud as well as herself. He looked to his left and found Heath in a similar position with two other strangers.

They heard the footsteps of the herd shuffle through the trees and the distinct whisper of "Where are they?" Follow this way" reached his ears, clear as day and Rick felt a cold shiver run down his spine at the haunting voices, the terrifying realisation that the walkers could communicate made him feel nauseous. After a few minutes of horrific silence, the herd move past them, back in the direction Rick and Heath had come from. Rick looked over to the woman who had grabbed him but she shook her head, indicating to wait a bit longer. It felt like a lifetime but in reality it was a few minutes until the woman nodded and everyone got up out the mud. Rick turns toward the woman and her friends, staring at them for a few moments, wondering where to even start.

"What the hell was that?" Rick whispers harshly, fear still clinging to him.

"Whisperers." The woman replies, her and the 2 others she was with, a man and woman, start to move north. Rick and Heath share a look and follow them; since they all seemed to be headed in the same direction.

"Whisperers?" Rick inquires. The woman looks at him surprisingly, "You never had to encounter them before? Lucky."

Rick shakes his head in confusion, "Let me get this straight, walkers can talk now?"

"They are not walkers." The woman frowns at Rick, surprised at his statement.

Rick is beyond confused. He reaches out and holds her arm to stop her walking. "What do you mean they're not walkers? And who are you?"

"The ones whispering, they are not walkers, they are humans, though that's debatable. They cover themselves in walker skin so they fit in with the herds, even manage to lead the herd in any direction they want for some reason."

Rick looks at her incredulously, trying to wrap his head round that. The woman chuckles while shrugging.

"Yeah I know, it's hard to believe, and when you do believe, you realize it's fucked up." She pauses and starts walking again. "The name is Magna and this is Luke and Kelly. You and your friend are…?

"I'm Rick, that's Heath." He gestures.

"Well it's nice to meet ya, and it's a good job I did, being all curious over them whisperers nearly got you killed, how have you not even heard of them? They've been around these parts for at least, what? 6 months now." She looks at her friends who nod.

"We've kinda been away for a while." Rick tells her.

"Yeah? Well you got one hell of a welcome back party. Where are you going?"

"We're headed to Alexandria."

Magna laughs shortly, shaking her head. "Yeah, well good luck with getting in there."

Rick feels his heart drop to his stomach, dreading that something had gone wrong.

"Why?" He asks, trying to keep the panic and anger out of his voice.

"We were brought there a few months ago by this 10 year old little girl, she saved our asses. We thought we would be allowed to stay but the leader didn't trust us, well not enough to stay in Alexandria, she sent us to Hilltop instead."

Rick took a moment to catch up to the end of the sentence, too overcome with hope at hearing that a 10 year old girl saved their life and brought them to Alexandria, thinking they very well might have been saved by his daughter.

"Who's in charge of Alexandria?" He asks, his voice almost raspy from the emotion threatening to rise. "And who was the girl that saved you?"

"I was under the impression you had already been to Alexandria?" Magna asks suspiciously, eyes narrowing slightly.

"I have, but like I said, it's been awhile." Rick confesses, hoping she sees his sincerity. Magna nods.

"Michonne, and the kid was called Judith if my memory serves."

With that one statement, a giant magnitude of joy and relief flooded its way through his entire being and he couldn't contain the wide smile that overtook his face, followed by a laugh of pure happiness. Heath smiles from beside him, patting Rick on the shoulder. Magna raises a brow at his outburst of joy.

"I take it you know them?" She asks and Rick slowly comes down from his giddiness, but his smile remains.

Yeah, I know 'em. They're my family." Rick confirms, a lump starting to form in his throat.

Magna looks surprised but nods and gestures for him and the others to follow her. "Come on then, let's get you home."

They walk for a few more hours, washing off the mud on their faces with their bottled water and making light conversation. Yet, Rick wasn't really paying attention, he was too busy thinking about the fact his girls were alive. He was thinking how proud he was of his baby girl, who wasn't such a baby anymore, saving these people and kicking ass. He was thinking of Michonne and how she had took the lead, and how happy and content that made him because he knew she was the perfect one for the job, she was the only one who could. He was thinking what it will be like to hold them in his arms and never let go ever again.

His thoughts begin to get more distorted as they continue walking and he feels a bead of sweat drip down his forehead. He stops for a moment, feeling the world tilt on its axis as he balances himself on a tree trunk, taking a shaky breath. Heath notices and walks back to him, a concerned look on his face.

"Rick? You okay?"

The rest of the group keep moving, but at a slower pace, making their way out of the trees but still insight for Rick and Heath to catch up. Rick shakes a hand dismissively when Heath tries to help him.

"I'm alright, I just need a minute."

Heath nods, a look of understanding passes over his features. "Withdrawal symptoms huh?"

Ricks hums in agreement. "Yeah, I guess so." He adds a moment later, finding strength to carry on. He takes a few steps until he hears raised voices from the direction Magna, Jake and Kerry had gone. Him and Heath move forward to find out what is going on when a familiar voice echoes through the trees into Rick's ear. He finds himself stopping in his tracks as he listens.

"-fine, but why are you comin' to Alexandria's gates, your Hilltop." The gruff voice informs the group, catching the tail end of the conversation.

Rick makes his way to the group, feeling happiness as he got closer to the commotion, yet he couldn't see the guy who's voice he definitely knew as Magna's group and the remaining trees blocked his view.

"We were just escorting these guys who said they were from here." Magna reasons, scowling back at the man.

"No one from 'ere has gone out in the direction you came from!" The man raises his voice, clearly disgruntled with the group before him. Rick pushes forward, moving Jake and Kerry out the way, and coming to a stop a few steps in front of Magna.

"Brother." He breathed as he takes in Daryl, who hadn't changed in the 6 years since he last saw him. 6 years since Daryl had shot walker after walker to stop them from getting to him up on that bridge.

Daryl's mouth goes slack and his eyes widen, his crossbow which had been aimed slightly, dropping to his side.

"Rick?" Daryl whispers disbelievingly. He shuffles from side to side for a moment, staring at Rick before launching forward and bringing him into a fierce hug. Rick returns it with equal force, the intensity nearly crushing but he didn't care, he had found his brother. He heard Daryl's quiet sobs muffled into his shoulder as Rick patted him on the back.

Daryl pulls back, a hand remaining on Rick's shoulder as he shakes his head in disbelief. "You're alive?"

"Yeah. Yeah I am."

Daryl looks past Rick's shoulder and tenses, surprised before he questions what he is seeing. "Heath?"

"Hey, Daryl." Heath greets with a nods and Daryl shakes his head in astonishment.

"Man, what the fuck is happenin'? How are you both here?" He questions again.

Rick huffs a laugh "It's a long story, one I know I'll have to tell, but right now I need to see the rest of my family." Rick says. Daryl's face goes impassive for a moment, and Rick feels a slight moment of dread before he smiles and nods behind him.

"Michonne is out in the clearing next to the west wall, I'll take you there."

Rick feels a smile once again grace his face at the mention of his love and starts to move in that direction before stopping suddenly and turning to Magna and her friends. "Thank you, you saved our ass out there."

Magna smirks and bows her head in acknowledgement. Daryl moves closer to the group, eyeing Magna with uncertainty. "Can I trust you to take Heath to the front gates?" Magna raises her brow but nods, and Daryl grunts in acceptance before turning back to Rick and walking west.

"C'mon brother, let's go find her."

Rick follows and as they walk he feels Daryl's eyes on him every so often, making him paranoid. "What?" He asks him.

"Nothin'" Daryl says defensively, but continues with a lighter tone "Just, never thought I would see you again. I missed you man." He mumbles at the end.

Rick sighs before smirking "That's sweet."

"Shut up." Daryl snarls in embarrassment and glares at Rick.

Rick laughs before returning to a sombre mood, remembering those 6 years without his family. "I missed you too." Rick states, causing Daryl to grunt but he could see the small smile on his face. He smiles back before continuing. "I missed you all, how is everyone? How's my little girl?" Rick asks proudly.

"Little ass kicker is kicking ass, though she ain't so little anymore, man." Daryl supplies and Rick chuckles, feeling another swell of pride.

"Is she with Michonne now?" Rick questions, desperate to finally have his girls back with him as soon as possible.

"Nah, Judith is lookin' after- "Daryl pauses, avoiding Rick's eyes for a moment before mumbling out the rest "lookin' after one of the town folks kid while they are out on a run."

Rick frowns at Daryl's odd behavior but before he can question him about it, they come up to a clearing where the sight that meets him gives air back into his deprived lungs while simultaneously taking his breathe away.


	3. Chapter 3

It was almost like he had stepped into a painting, a beautiful piece of art playing out right in front of him. The love of his life was right in front of him, her back turned to him, her arms flexed while she wields her katana to come down and split the skull of a walker. It was the height of perfection in this new fucked up world. He took a moment to just take her in, because there she was, after 6 years he had found her. Her hair had changed, it now hung on one side while the other side was short and he couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she was. He recognizes she is wearing one of his old shirts and he feels his heart lurch at the fact she still keeps whatever she had left of him close to her.

Daryl takes a few steps ahead of him. " 'Chonne?" He calls out to her.

"I'm a bit preoccupied at the minute Daryl. Give me a minute." She states without even looking in their direction, continuing taking down the remaining walker's around her. Daryl looks back at him and shrugs.

He watches her finish the walker's off one by one. Rick sees one of the them coming up close to her right side, too close for his own comfort. He pulls out his gun, aims and shots the walker directly in the head. Michonne finishes the last one off, barely looking down at the one Rick had shot.

"I could have handled that." She says deadpan, placing her katana on her back, assuming it was Daryl who had struck the walker down. Rick steps forward slightly as his heart began to race.

"Yeah" He drawls, bemusedly, trying to keep in the tears threatening to spill over "I know you could've."

He sees her shoulders tense up, her fists clenched together as she turns her head, looking directly at him with an unreadable expression on her features. Silence fills the clearing, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Rick doesn't understand why she is looking at him but not seeing him. He cocks his head to the side in contemplation. "Michonne?" He says, voice raspy. She closes her eyes briefly, squinting them tight before opening them again.

Daryl comes closer to Rick, putting a hand on his shoulder, nudging him forward. This simple act of Daryl interacting with him set off a reaction in Michonne. He sees her eyes dart and glare at Daryl in shock, watching as he pushes Rick and inch forward. He hears her gasp and her face begins to crumble, lips quivering and eyes filling with tears.

Rick walks slowly up to her, so there is only an inch or two of space between them. "Hey." He whispers in comfort as her eyes dart across his face repeatedly. Just being in this close of a proximity of her was making his head spin. She hesitantly reaches out her hand to his cheek, the contact immediately filling him with ease as his eyes close and he leans into it. She lets out a shuddering breath as her tears fall freely down her cheeks.

"You're 're really here." She whispers, almost brokenly and he opens his eyes. He brings his hand over hers that resides on his cheek.

"I am." Rick chokes on a sob that's stuck in his throat. Michonne's mouth turns up in a shaky smile before she moves her hand to his nape and burrows her face in the side of his neck. He holds her head with one of his own hands and the other wraps tightly around her waist as her sobs shake her figure. He feels her hot breath on his neck as she breathes him in, sending goosebumps through his skin. She plays with the beginnings of his curls at his nape and it was in that instance he felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

He brings his lips to her temple, pressing a kiss there as he tries to compose himself. "I'm so sorry." He murmurs into her hair and she pulls back to look at his face again, her eyes filled with awe. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you." He continues, feeling the beginning weight of guilt settle within the pit of his stomach. She shakes her head grabbing his face with both hands.

"You are here now." She says with conviction as he stares at her, feeling the total adoration he has for the woman he is holding flood through him.

"I love you." He whispers to her and brings his lips to her own. It's soft at first, almost as if they were both too afraid that it was too good to be true until the deprivation of not being with her over the last 6 years catches up with him and with that it intensifies into a passionate and desperate kiss that was like coming home. When they break apart, their foreheads move to lean against the other, refusing to cease contact.

"I love you." Michonne whispers back to him and he smiles widely to which she returns the gesture, tears still streaming from her eyes. They stay like that for a few moments, just reveling in each other after so long apart.

"Rick, what happened to you? We all saw the explosion on the bridge." Michonne asks him hesitantly as she moves her hands to his grasp his own.

"I was taken away somewhere, and it took me awhile to get back. I- I went through some things and i-" Rick finds it hard to finish which Michonne catches because she tightens her grip on his hands.

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it yet." Michonne reassures and he nods in appreciation. A sudden look of realization and nervousness flit across her face. "Rick, have you been into Alexandria yet?"

Rick frowns and shakes his head negatively. "I found Daryl outside and then he brought me to you."

Michonne glances over at Daryl who had given the lovers space to reunite, watching the clearings perimeter for any threats until he met Michonne's stare. A look is exchanged between them that Rick doesn't understand. Michonne turns her gaze back to him and her face softens in an instant.

"Let's go then, I think you have some people to see."

He grins at the thought of the rest of his family, putting the weirdness of Michonne and Daryl's exchange to the back of his mind.

"Yeah." He agrees and Michonne keeps tight hold of one of his hands as they make their way back to the front gates, Daryl a few paces ahead of them, giving them a few more precious moments.

"I'm sorry about not being able to tell you what happened to me right now, it's just a long, hard story." Rick leans closer to Michonne and she gazes at him in understanding.

"It's okay Rick, a lot has happened in these 6 years." She states.

"I hate that it took me so long to come home and I understand if things and people have moved on." He says hesitantly. He wouldn't blame any of them, he was dead to them so he would want them to move on and be happy.

"Don't be stupid, there is no one else, there never could be." Michonne says with strong conviction as she tightens her hand around his. He gazes affectionately at her, truly overwhelmed with how much he loved her and feeling like the luckiest man in the world that this wonderful woman loved him back just as much.

They approach the front gate and he feels relief as they slow their pace, his breathing was harder right now. They are let in by the guards on post, and as he enters he is given a view of a place he sometimes never thought he would see again.

"I have to get somethin', I'll be back in a bit. It's good to have to back, Brother." Daryl says as he briefly smirks before heading off leaving him and Michonne to walk through the streets of Alexandria hand in hand, as it should be he thinks to himself.

"Look at this place." Rick smiles as he takes it all in. "I knew you could make this something, you are the only one who could."

"It's not exactly the way we wanted it." Michonne admits.

"Maybe not yet, but it's still working, and some things take longer to achieve." Rick smiles softly at her and squeezes her hand to which she gives a smile of her own in return. She stops him from walking and he turns to her in question.

"Rick, there's something I need to tell-" Michonne begins.

"So it's true. You really are alive." Carol cuts in with awe. Rick turns to her, taking in her longer hair with an arched eyebrow. She gives him a stern look before breaking into a grin and moving into hug him. She moves back and places a gentle hand on his face, tears in her eyes. He squeezes her shoulder in return, both of them not needing to say much.

Rick breaks the contact and looks around for any sign of his travelling companion. "Did Heath come in?"

Carol nods. "He's the one who told me you should be here soon too. He went looking for Tara."

"Good, good." Rick murmurs as he looks around, still finding it surreal that he was actually here after all these years. He keeps expecting himself to wake up any minute, back in his poorly lit cell, waiting to be dragged down to the lab for another experiment.

"Dad?" A small voice brings him back to the here and now. It comes from behind him and he turns to find his 10 year old daughter, wearing the Grimes stetson and an unsure look on her face. Rick feels tears spring to his eyes and a lump form in his throat. He clears his throat before calling out to her.

"Jud- Judith."

It was either his voice or him calling her name that confirmed it was actually him as a big smile overtook her face and she sprints towards him. He catches her as she throws her arms around his neck, holding her close. He puts her down as his energy starts to slowly diminish but he holds it together enough to keep standing. Judith looks at him with sad brown eyes and a confused expression on her features.

"I thought you died." She states but he can hear the question in it. He nods slowly, glancing over at Michonne who was watching the two of them with misty eyes.

"It's very complicated but you and everyone else, all had reason to believe I was. But I'm home now and I missed you so much."

Tears fall gently down Judith's cheek as she nods and smiles again, this time her expression held so much happiness, Rick's heart nearly burst. She hugs him again, her arms going round his waist.

"I'm so glad you are back. I was starting to forget your voice and that scared me." Judith mumbles into his stomach and his insides turn with guilt and sadness.

"You don't have to worry about that now, I'm here." He whispers to her, kissing the top of her hat as she tightens the hug.

"You're really sweaty Dad." Judith tells him as she still holds onto him. He chuckles, trying to ignore how he felt the complete opposite, how he had to suppress the cold shivers that tried to break free.

"Yeah, I walked a long way to get back." Rick admits and Judith pulls away, instead taking a hold of his hand and giving him a bright dazzling smile. He looks at Michonne who all of a sudden gives a brief observation of their surroundings, her brows furrowing.

"Jude, were is R-"

"Mama!" A child's voice interrupts her and Rick turns to see a small boy with curly brown hair running towards Michonne. The boy jumps into her arms, laughing with joy as Michonne picks him up.

Rick's heart pounds in his ears, all thoughts leaving his head as he took in the sight in front of him. Michonne meets his eyes and the emotions there almost make him lose his breath. She puts the child down on firm ground and turns him towards Rick as she crouches down at the boy's side. A pair of dark chocolate eyes, so similar to the ones he always loved staring into, look directly at him and Rick covers his mouth with his free hand in an attempt to keep in the sob that tried to surface. An instant familiarity and connection form within that second and he doesn't even need to do the math to know who this little boy was.

"This is RJ, your son." Michonne tells him shakily, her lips quivering with a watery smile. Rick kneels down to match RJ's height, hand still holding Judith's tightly. This was his son. His and Michonne's son. He couldn't even process the emotions storming inside him at this very moment.

"Hey there, RJ." Rick chokes out, the little boy smiles shyly and looks to his mother. Their little boy. Michonne squeezes his shoulder, smiling at their child with so much love .

"This is your daddy." Michonne tells their son with joy and disbelief clear on her face, almost like she never thought she would ever get the chance to introduce them. RJ looks between both Rick and Michonne for a few moments.

"My daddy? Like in the stories?" He asks with childlike wonder. Michonne nods, not being able to speak, too overcome with this unbelievable situation.

"Yeah RJ, he's our daddy from the stories Mom tells us every night. He came home to us." Judith tells her little brother and Rick's heart swells with adoration at his children, tear flowing freely down his cheeks but he was beaming from ear to ear.

His son looks at him with fascination and all of a sudden he lunges for Rick, his tiny hands wrapping round Rick's neck. Rick brings his arm securely around RJ, his nose buried in the brown curls that are so much like his own. Judith let's go of Rick's hand only to join in the hug, wrapping one arm round her brother and one around him. Rick watches as Michonne lets out a small sob before joining them and he makes sure to engulf all of them into his embrace.

He doesn't know how long they stay locked in this little picture perfect moment but Rick realizes that for the first time in 6 years, he finally feels relief, he feels safe and relaxed. His fight is done for he has found his family again. At the same time the fight leaves him, he feels his body become weaker, sub coming to the fever that had been sneaking up on him the past hour.

When the kids start to move out of the embrace, Michonne pulls away too, looking at him with concern at his slightly uneven breathing and heated skin. Before she can ask him anything, Daryl comes into his eye line, a walkie up to his mouth as Rick catches the end of his sentence.

"You are never gonna believe who's here Mags."

Rick stands up albeit a little wobbly as he walks over to take the radio off Daryl, Michonne grasping his hand, whether to support him or to just hold on to him he didn't know .Judith takes hold of RJ's hand and moves to the side.

Rick brings the radio to his lips. "Hey Maggie." He says gruffly, feeling his surroundings swirl around him. There is a pause on the other end, then a gasp.

" _Rick?!"_

He laughs weakly. "Yeah, it's me."

Maggie lets out a shocked laugh _"I can't believe it."_

Rick takes a moment to compose himself as a cold shiver runs through his body, Michonne frowning deeper at his side, watching the bead of sweat drip down from his forehead.

"Yeah, I think that's how everyone is feelin'." He speaks into the walkie. "Are you and Hershel..?" He begins to ask, hoping that they were okay. After everything and everyone Maggie had lost, he just prayed the remains of her family were safe.

" _We're good Rick, and we are coming to see you, be there tomorrow, I have to see this with my own eyes because i'm strugglin' to wrap my head round this."_

Rick chuckles weakly, grasping onto Michonne's hand tighter as he swayed again. "Okay." He stumbles into her but she levels them both out in time.

"Rick, what's wrong?" She asks, panic raising in her normally calm and collected voice. He looks towards their children, then back at her worried beautiful face. He grins, shaking his head.

"Nothin's wrong, not anymore. I found you." He kisses her forehead softly before extending his arm to hand the walkie back to Daryl who's eyes drop to his arm.

"Is that blood?" Daryl asks with concern, eyeing the dark red on Rick's sleeve, mixed with the mud stains.

"What?" Rick asks confused, his mind clouded, Daryl's words not fully registering.

"Rick you're bleeding." Michonne states and Daryl grabs Rick's extended arm, pushing up the sleeve causing both Daryl and Michonne to gasp. Rick looks at what had grabbed their attention and one of the newest bites he had received a few days prior, one Dean had stitched up, must have be reopened, the blood seeping from it covering his arm in dark red.

"He's bit." Daryl whispers heartbreakingly. Rick shakes his head, trying to clear it from the murky water his thoughts seemed to be stuck in.

"No. no." He heard Michonne muttering in utter despair, feeling her hands grip his arm so tightly it will probably bruise.

He tried to tell them it was okay, that he was fine but his mind was completely dazed, and the world around him was off balanced. He shakes his head as another severe shiver escapes him.

"I'm no-" He mumbles before it all becomes too much and he collapses into a pair of arms and darkness takes over.

Part 4


	4. Chapter 4

When Michonne had awoken this morning, she had not expected what had happened within the space of half an hour to happen. She had been in the clearing, getting rid of a small group of walkers, while also keeping up her fighting skills, never letting herself get soft and complacent, it was too dangerous to do so. She hadn't even expected Daryl to show up and try to talk to her, especially since their relationship was still tense after what happened.

She remembers turning round and seeing a ghost next to Daryl, and had stared without any emotion, knowing what her psyche was capable of, evidenced from the past, so she just ignored it. She had ignored it until Daryl interacted with her hallucination by physically touching it and pushing it forward towards her. She had honestly thought she must be in the most perfect dream when she touched him, when she could smell his scent. She felt like the pieces of herself that had shattered all those years ago were being put back together once again. The taste of his lips sent a shock-wave throughout her body and the sense of coming home was overwhelming that she refused to not be touching him at any given second.

She had looked past him for a second to Daryl, inquiring silently with her eyes if he had revealed anything about RJ or what had happened to them. His expression told her he had left that for her to break to Rick which she was thankful for. She had taken Rick's hand and brought him through the gates of Alexandria, she had watched him reunite with Carol and then Judith, followed by meeting RJ for the first time.

She had watched as he held their children and she couldn't help but to join the embrace and that was when she felt like all the pieces were finally together and permanent. That was until a few minutes after when she has spotted the blood dripping from a bite on his arm, and the pieces of her soul had once again shattered to even smaller fragments.

Rick had tried to say something but lost consciousness, falling forward, his hand slipping out of hers and she felt a small scream ripped its way through her throat. He fell into Daryl who managed to catch him, and throw him over his shoulder, looking at Michonne with despair.

"Infirmary." She says with a shuddering breath to which he nods and starts walking as fast as he can with Rick to the direction of the clinic.

"He was bit by a walker?" Judith asks from beside her, eyes shining with unshed tears, her lower lip wobbling and Michonne felt bile rise in her throat.

"I-I think so. Carol can you take them to Tina's she will mind them." Michonne looks to the older woman who nods, shocked at the sudden turn of events, catching RJ's hand and coming up beside Judith.

"No! I'm coming with you." Judith argues, moving towards Daryl who was ahead of them. Michonne catches the girl before she can move more than a few steps.

"Judith, I need you to go with Carol and stay with your brother, please." Michonne pleads with her daughter. Judith is silent for a moment.

"Promise me you will let me say goodbye before it happens. Please. He's my dad."

Michonne nods in agreement as Carol takes Judith by her free hand and directs her children down the street. Her feet hit the pavement quickly as she catches up with Daryl, throwing open the clinic door, startling an unaware Siddiq who takes in the injured man as Daryl places him on a free bed.

"Oh my god. Is that-" Siddiq asks, stunned.

"Man, there aint no time. He's been bit, don't know how long ago, but we have to cut the arm off right?" Daryl says hastily. Siddiq shakes out of his shock and quickly examines the bite , feeling Rick's skin, a frown on his face.

"He has a high grade fever, but not as high as we know it goes… but if he is already losing consciousness, it means the virus has spread too far."

A torturous spell of silence fills the room for a few moments before the shuffling of Daryl's feet fills it, moving back and forth agitated, anger and desperation clear on his face. He flips over a bedside table in a fit of rage, causing Siddiq to jump slightly and all Michonne could do was watch Daryl rush out the clinic bay. Siddiq's words sink in, the feeling of coldness and the numb despair sets within her. It was almost if her brain had shut most of herself down so she wouldn't have to feel this pain, not again.

"How long?" She hears herself ask Siddiq in a detached voice.

"I don't know, but he's more than likely going to regain consciousness before then." Siddiq says watching her make small steps back towards the exit door. "I need to go to the storage room, get some stuff to make him comfortable, you should stay with him Michonne."

Siddiq walks towards her and puts a comforting hand on her tense shoulder, waiting for her to respond. She nods stiffly and he leaves her alone with an unconscious Rick.

She finds herself staring at his motionless figure for an extended period of time, not really comprehending what to do. After awhile, her feet move on their own accord, bringing her right beside him as she looked at his discolored and sweaty face, his breathing slightly heavy but not as bad as she had seen others suffer, meaning he still had time left. She brings her hand to his beard, stroking it soothingly only to retract it quickly as her body tries to fight the emotions struggling their way to the surface.

Her brain tries it's damnedest to keep the pain and agony at bay but by doing so, it allows the unjustified anger to seep through instead.

A gentle breeze hits her skin as the door is pushed open, Siddiq walking in with his arms full of IV bags and bandages. She takes this as an opportunity to escape knowing he wasn't alone and Siddiq would call her should he wake up. She brushes past him and through the door, coming to lean against the side of the wall, taking deep breathes through her nose as nausea passes through her.

A few minutes pass where all she could focus on was getting her breathing back to normal that she didn't even notice that Carol had approached and was standing to her side, mimicking her position by leaning against the wall, until she was there.

"The kids?" Michonne asks quietly.

"They're over at Tina's house. RJ is okay, he doesn't understand what's happening." Carol supplies.

"What about Judith?" Michonne asks, her heart clenching for her little girl.

"She - she's handling it, holding it together. She's strong Michonne."

"She's 11 years old, she shouldn't have to be strong for this."

"I know."

Michonne feels her anger bubble once again as she thinks of her children, thinks of Judith's beaming smile at seeing her father alive, at RJ's hesitant but happy one as he finally got to meet the hero of his stories. Rick had held onto them all, had made her feel so complete and at peace, that this was forever yet it had be ripped away from her once again.

"It's just cruel." Michonne says angrily, tears falling out of frustration and heartbreak. "The universe is so cruel to give children their father back only to snatch him away from them again, from me again."

Carol eyes glisten with understanding and sadness, bringing Michonne into an almost motherly embrace.

"I can't do it again." Michonne whispers, tears falling onto the older woman's shoulder. Carol had been there for Michonne since Rick had sacrificed himself all those years ago, she had been one of her rocks throughout her pregnancy and although they fell apart after what happened, they were still family.

Carol takes Michonne's face in her hands "Yes,you can. You never got the chance to say goodbye last time, but you do now, so you have to be strong for Rick and the kids okay?"

Michonne nods and vows to try but she was hardly keeping herself together. Before anymore can be said, Siddiq comes rushing out of the clinic door, searching frantically for her and Michonne feels bile rise in her throat. Was this it? Was she not even getting the chance to say goodbye?

"You should come and see this." Siddiq says, confusion evident on his face. Carol and Michonne look at each other before moving inside, wondering what had caused the strange reaction.

"I was cleaning up the blood off his arm and around the bite and- look." Siddiq lifts Rick's arm up so it's visible to her and Carol. Michonne's brows furrow in confusion as she takes in the many scars and healing marks across his skin.

"Are those…?"

"Bite marks. Varying different time scales. Some of these are years old." Siddiq pointed to barely visible outlines of teeth around his elbow. "And the one that was bleeding, there are remnants of stitches here, someone sowed it up and it looks to be around 4-7 days old."

Michonne's brain was going too fast, trying to understand what was going on. What had he been through these past 6 years, what was happening right now?

Suddenly three familiar faces rush through the clinic doors, all wearing expressions of unease. A man she had not seen in over 8 years leads and she can't help the small gasp at seeing Heath alive after all this time. He is flanked by a confused and irritated Daryl and a shocked Tara.

"Please tell me you haven't stabbed him in the head." Heath asks breathlessly, pausing for a second to get his breath back. "He's not dying, and he wont die, not from that at least." He indicates the bite on Rick's arm.

Silence falls as everyone stares at Heath in disbelief.

"I think you need to explain." Carol says sternly to him, to which Heath nods and moves closer to Rick's bedside, Tara and Daryl following behind him. Michonne took hold of Rick's hand, holding it tightly, wanting to believe what Heath was saying but the way this world was, she didn't think it would be as kind to offer such a miracle.

"The place we were being held, they experimented on us. More Rick than me, he had it almost everyday and it was extreme. I don't know the ins and outs of it all, I wasn't an 'A', but they got a walker to bite him every few days, but he doesn't die because of the 'combined blood' or something. He's immune." He looks around and takes in the varying forms of disbelief and shock on everyone's faces.

"That bite that's been bleeding, that was from around 4-5 days ago. He would be long dead by now, but he's not. He's not infected."

"But he got the symptoms…" Daryl says gruffly, emotion clear in his voice.

"That's the blood transfusion withdrawal symptoms, the doctor who stitched that bite up said he was going to get them." Heath sighs, shoulders loosing their tension now that everyone knew Rick didn't need to be put down.

Michonne looked between Heath and Siddiq, the latter's face lighting up as understanding took over. He moves over and hooks up an IV, inserting the drip into the other arm that Michonne was holding onto for dear life.

"These are symptoms are blood transfusions, and if Rick's been on them for 6 years, it's going to be a few weeks of recovery at least, but we just need to keep him hydrated and rested." He said happily, smiling at Michonne. Michonne felt her heart beat harder, as if it was coming back to life and she felt a tear slip down her cheek. She strokes Rick's own cheek lovingly, a small laugh escaping her lips.

"Holy shit." Tara exclaims, looking at Daryl who seems just as flabbergasted as the rest of them.

"How is that possible? An what's an "A"?" Carol asked Heath, though Michonne could hear the relief in the woman's voice.

"I think Rick would want to tell you all that himself, it's a long story. I just had to tell you the basics so you didn't kill him."

"Thank you Heath. How did you know though?" Michonne asks, turning her gaze to the man, still softly caressing Rick's face.

"Well I didn't know he had collapsed until Daryl came running up to me and nearly biting my head of for not telling him Rick had been bit. I ran straight here as soon as he said that."

Daryl shrugged unashamedly, his eyes giving away his elation that he wasn't going to have to watch his brother die again.

"It's good you did, now I know what to treat, he will be fine and should be conscious soon." Siddiq supplies and the group nod, the tension evaporating to be replaced with utter relief.

The group sit in comfortable silence as they wait for Rick to show signs of waking up and after 35 minutes or so, his eyelids begin to flutter and he mumbles incoherently. Michonne had not moved from her place at his side, hand still holding his.

"Rick?" She asks gently, squeezing his hand. He returns the gesture as his eyes open, revealing the bright blue that always manages to en-capture her every time.

"Hey." He replies groggily, a weak yet sincere smile playing on his mouth. She senses Tara come closer to Rick's other side, a look of astonishment in place. Rick turns his head towards her.

"Can you stop making it seem like you died on us now?" Tara says humorously, causing Rick to chuckle lightly, holding out his hand in a fist.

"You got it."

Tara beams and returns the fist bump eagerly. She glances over at Carol and Heath, before turning back to Michonne and Rick.

"Do you want us to bring RJ and Judith here?"

Michonne looks at Rick for confirmation who smiles wider and nods. Tara smiles in return.

"okay, see you later Mother Goose."

Rick rolls his eyes as she and the others exit, leaving Daryl alone with her and Rick. Daryl shuffles over, gripping Rick's shoulder.

"Good to have yah back man."

Rick squeezes a hand over Daryl's residing on his shoulder, nodding but not saying anything. Daryl and Rick had always had a strong connection and she was happy they both were still able to retain it after everything. Daryl glances at Michonne and they keep eye contact for a few seconds, happiness coming from both of them as their loved one had come back from the dead. There was still a tension between her and Daryl and it was to be expected after what they went through together, but he was still family.

Rick's questioning gaze catches their attention and Daryl fidgets awkwardly before moving towards the door.

"I gotta do some stuff, I'll come see yah tomorrow."

Michonne watches him leave before turning her full attention back onto the man she was still finding it difficult to believe was actually alive. His brows were furrowed in confusion and eyes concerned.

"What's goin' on with you and Daryl?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just now, and before in the clearing, I noticed it. What's happened?" He questions.

"A lot has happened since you have been gone Rick. Daryl and I went through something a couple years back and it was- it was something bad, and we don't really discuss it, we just try to forget, but we are fine."

"What happened that was so bad?" He demands, his frown deepening.

"That's a long story" she recites his own words from earlier "and right now you need to rest, we have time to catch up later right?" Her statement turns into a question as brief flickers of doubt appear, a part of her just waiting for him to be gone again. He nods in reluctant agreement, his attention brought to the door that had burst open, Judith running straight to her father's side, throwing her arms around him as Rick held her tightly. Carol brings RJ in, who walks up to Michonne, asking to be picked up which she complies with.

"Auntie Carol said you were going to be fine, but you were bit, how can you be?" Judith demanded.

"I was, but when I was- when I was away I had a special medicine that means I wont die from it. I promised you I wasn't leaving you all ever again." Rick says with conviction and Judith nods, moving out of their embrace, sitting on the seat next to his bed. Rick turns to RJ in her arms and beams at the little boy.

"Hey there, little man." He reaches out and RJ surprisingly reaches back, moving into Rick's arms for a cuddle. Michonne was surprised as RJ was often cautious around new people but the innate bond between father and son seemed to win over caution.

The four of them spent sometime just enjoying each others company, with RJ telling Rick his favourite stories that Michonne had told about him and Rick would look over at her with a loving gleam in his eye and she knew he was grateful that she made sure their son had knew him even when he was gone. Carol came to get the children an hour later, stating she would stay with them tonight so Michonne could stay with Rick in the clinic.

After the children and Carol had left, Siddiq came in to set a new drip to keep Rick's temperature down as well as keeping him hydrated before bidding them goodnight. She watched Rick stare at the tubes connected to his arm, grimacing for a prolonged period of time, she could see he was uncomfortable.

"Hey." Michonne whispered to catch his attention, his troubled eyes diverting to hers, turning brighter as he looked at her. He moved silently to the side, making room for her to join him which she eagerly did, curling up to him as his arm came round her, almost squashing her to him but she wouldn't dare complain.

She felt his breath on her face, his hand coming to cradle her cheek, thumb rubbing gently. They stay in that position, lips close, but not touching, foreheads pressed together, needing as much contact as they can after years of deprivation.

"I can't believe you're actually here." She whispers softly in the space between them.

"I know what you mean, I feel like I'm about to wake up any second." He responds, a worried look crossing his face causing her to take action and press her lips to his, showing him that this was indeed reality. He responds after a second, his tongue looking for entrance and she grants it as his hand slides down to her waist and under her shirt. She grabs the back of his head to bring him closer to her but suddenly her whole body tenses as his hand drifts to the scar on her back. His hand and lips halt at her reaction and the feeling of jagged skin as he gently follows its pattern.

"What is that?" He murmurs.

"Something bad." She replies after a moment of hesitation. She feels his own body tense and watches as his jaw clenches, anger beginning to burn in his eyes.

"Did someone do that to you?" He practically growls, almost every part of him radiating rage except his hand which was gently place over the 'x' shaped scar. She grasps his face with her hands, making him unable to avoid her eyes.

"Rick, I'm here, you're here, we are okay. So for now, can we just be." She begs him, not ready to go into everything after such an emotionally turbulent day for both of them. The fire in his eyes resides and is replaced with only warmth and affection.

"Okay." He agrees, bringing her closer once again, hand resting on her hip,closing his eyes as sleep begins to demand his priorities. She finds herself staring at a face she never thought she would lay eyes on ever again, yet here it was, and she wasn't going to let anything tear them apart again.

"You came home." She whispers, pressing her lips to his nose in a lingering peck. Thinking he had drifted off, she closes her own eyes so sleep can claim her too, but not before she hears his soft reply.

"Yeah, I came home."

THE END


End file.
